Moving In
by mundane-pansycakes
Summary: After returning from Neverland, Regina found a way to restore the Enchanted Forest. Everyone returned to it except for Emma, Neal and Henry, who decided to live in the mortal world. But after a few months, Emma realized how boring life was in Boston. She misses the thrill of magic, swordfighting and unimaginable places. So she moves to the Enchanted Forest, into the palace.
1. Chapter 1

"Are you sure about this?" Neal asks as Emma shoves the last of her clothes into her suitcase. She zips it closed and then hauls it off the bed.

"Yes. I'm positive," she replies, pulling out the handle and rolling it toward the door.

"Whatever happened to 'Boston is my home. It's normal here. No magic?'" he laughs, placing his own bag at the door. He walks over and places his arms around her waist, smiling down at her. "You just happened to change your opinion over a few months?"

Emma sighs and raises her eyebrow. "No. I just . . I thought we could go back to somewhat of a normal life after everything that happened. I thought I hated magic and fairytales and that stupid forest . . . But now it's _weird _without all of that. This world feels boring without sword-fighting and castles and magic beans . . . " Emma trails off, unsure of what her husband will think of this.

"I'm just kidding, Em," he says, kissing her forehead gently. "To tell you the truth, fighting off Lost Boys is a bit more exciting than sitting at a desk all day." He cracks a smile, just a small one, but it makes Emma grin as well. "I think it will be good for us to move there. And for Henry. The kid's been down ever since we got back from Neverland."

"Yeah," Emma agrees, pulling away to grab the last of her stuff. She shrugs on her red leather jacket and pulls her hair out from under the collar. "He's always wanted to live in the Enchanted Forest. Ever since we broke the curse, he's had his heart set on moving there together."

"Well, his dream's coming true now," Neal laughs, opening the door for Emma, who rolls her suitcase behind her. Emma takes a deep breath, still contemplating whether or not this is the right move. She knows Henry is all for it. Even Neal's fine around magic now, ever since he and his father made up. And Emma . . . well, she's not so worried about living in the Enchanted Forest. She's more concerned about who she'll be living with.

Her parents.

"Henry! You almost ready?" Neal calls, peeking his head around the hallway leading to Henry's room. Emma takes a seat on the couch.

"Yeah!" he calls back. Just a second later, they hear the thud of footsteps pounding down the hall. Henry comes into the room, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his small suitcase trailing behind him. "Let's get Operation Jaguar started."

"Operation Jaguar?" Emma asks, placing an arm around the kid and leading him towards the door.

"It's about moving to the Enchanted Forest," he says, as if it was obvious to everyone. Emma rolls her eyes, though she smiling slightly.

"How long have you had Operation Jaguar in mind?" Neal asks, pulling out a small bean from his pocket - one he's kept for a very long time for a case like this.

"Since Mom broke the curse," he says, looking happily up at Emma. She has the feeling he had this plan ready even before that - like when he first met her - but she doesn't say anything.

"Well, you've been waiting a long time, kid," Neal smiles, tossing the bean up in the air. It falls onto their living room floor and slowly expands into a swirling, purplish portal. "Time to complete this mission." All of them grab their bags and step forward a bit. Emma takes one long look at the world around her - her normal apartment, her normal furniture, her normal city - and says a silent goodbye. Then she grabs Henry's hand and jumps.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma landed with a thud on a clean, tiled floor. Henry and Neal were on opposite sides of her, each trying to gather their surroundings She brushed her hands off before standing up and taking a look around.

The last time she was here was with Mulan, when the Enchanted Forest was completely destroyed, including the castle. But now, the family was standing in a sparkling, brand-new castle, just like the one pictured in Henry's book. The ceilings were high and light poured in from the tall, beautiful glass windows. In the distance, Emma could make out the crystal blue lake and the endless green of the forest.

"Emma!" somebody called, their voice echoing down the hall. Emma whirled around to see her mother, making her way quickly down the corridor to greet them. She smiled awkwardly at her mom, still uncomfortable with their relationship. She loved Mary Margaret, yes, but it was nearly impossible for Emma to think of her as her mother.

She reached the group and quickly pulled her daughter into a hug, kissing her on the forehead as she did so. "Hi, Mary Margaret," Emma said awkwardly, though she hugged her back. She then preceded to hug both Neal and Henry. "Where's David?"

"He'll be here in a minute," Mary Margaret said, taking a step back, a huge smile on her face. She had changed since Emma last saw her a few months ago. She was wearing classic fairytale attire, with a gorgeous pink dress clinging to her waist and flaring out towards the end. It wasn't too extravagant, but it was still a change for Emma. It was so . . fantastical.

Her hair was longer, too. It now floated just past her shoulders in soft curls. Emma knew that her mother used to wear her hair long, and she supposed it could look good on her. "Is this all you brought?" Mary Margaret said in awe, pointing at their small pile of luggage. "Emma, I know that you're not that materialistic, but this can't be _all _you brought."

"Mary Ma-"

"We thought the majority of our stuff at home wouldn't exactly fit here in the Enchanted Forest," Neal interrupted before his wife could say anything rude. Emma just bit her lip and sighed. "And it's not like we had much to start with."

"I guess so," Mary Margaret sighed. "Why don't I show you where your rooms are?"

"Yeah!" Henry said. He's been quiet since arriving, mainly because he's been marveling at what lies behind the window. This is first time here, and you can tell that the kid's practically jumping inside.

Mary Margaret smiled and led them all down a long hallway, trying to make small talk. "How's Boston? Is Henry doing well in school? Have you heard from Belle? Are you nervous? Don't be nervous, Emma," and so on. Emma answered politely, though it was obvious she wasn't exactly thrilled to be bombarded with questions. Neal gave her a look and she shrugged. It's not like Neal was the one living with _his_ parents.

After what seemed like forever of walking through corridors, up and down spiral staircases, and through secret doorways, Snow opened up a gold-lined door and gestured for the family to walk in. Emma couldn't deny it - the room was incredible. Right out of the movies. Fancy comforters and frilly carpets, pulled-back curtains and chandeliers. It was beautiful, gorgeous, even. Neal stepped up beside Emma and gently tapped her jaw shut. She glared back at him, while he just gave her that handsome, crooked smile.

"Do you like it?" Mary Margaret asked. "I know you're not really into girly things but I thought . . . I don't know . . If you don't lik-"

"No," Emma interrupted, turning around to face her mother. "I love it. Thanks Mar- Um, Mom. Thanks." Mary Margaret's eyes lit up at that and she smiled so widely Emma worried her cheeks were going to explode.

"I'm glad you do, Emma," she replied. Emma just nodded, still feeling awkward from addressing her as _Mom. _She'd done it before, but only in dire, we're-probably-going-to-die situations. "What about you, Neal? Is it okay?"

"Yeah, it's great, Mary Margaret," he replied, smiling and setting his bag down on the extravagant bed. "Thank you so much for letting us stay here."

"Of course," she replied. "I'm glad that you both decided to come home." She looks at Emma, who turns away under her stare. Emma's never considered this world her home. But it was Neal's once - for almost his whole childhood - and Emma was determined to make it theirs for good.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Where's Henry staying?"

"Oh, of course!" Mary Margaret laughed, looking down at her grandson. "It's just right down the hall. How about I show Henry around and you two can get settled in? I'll come get you for dinner, okay?"

Emma stole a glance at Henry, who was nodding eagerly. He obviously wanted to see the castle. Neal shrugged, seeming indifferent to the subject. Emma rolled her eyes but agreed. "Yeah. Have fun," she said, leaning down and pecking him on the head.

Mary Margaret smiled one more time at Emma before gesturing for Henry to follow her out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is . . . nice," Neal said when Mary Margaret had left. He looked like he was trying not to laugh. Emma nudged him in the side. No, it wasn't exactly her style, but the room was gorgeous nonetheless. And Mary Margaret must've really worked hard on it.

"It's better than the crappy mattress at our apartment," Emma said, shuffling through her things and unpacking. The closet was large - way too big to fit all of hers _and _Neal's stuff combined - and she wondered how much space those stupid fairytale dresses took up.

"Hey, I'm just kidding," Neal said, circling his arms around Emma from behind. He twirled her around so that they were facing each other. "I'm happy here. Your family's great, Henry's thrilled, and I know we'll get our happy ending here." He kissed her for a long time, each of them reluctant to let go. But the sound of footsteps thudding down the hall interrupted them.

"Mom! You've got to get down here! The party's starting without you," Henry said, bursting into their room. His face was full of excitement, Emma nearly forgot what he just said.

"Wait- party? What are you talking about?"

"Mary Margaret's throwing a party for us. She wanted it to be a surprise."

"No, she just said she'll call us for _dinner. _Not _ball," _Emma muttered, already shuffling through her neatly-hung clothes. There was no way she could go greet all these people - whoever they might be - in jeans and her favorite leather jacket. The outfit didn't exactly scream "Savior."

"That was the whole surprise part. Duh," Henry said, though he was laughing at his mom's ignorance. "Everybody from Storybrooke's here! And a bunch of new people they're going to introduce us to!"

"Okay, bud. We'll be down in a second," Neal said, opening the door again and gently leading him outside. "Go have fun."

He gave Emma one last _you better be there _look before running off to what must be the ballroom. _Oh, great. _Emma finally decided that nothing in her closet would be suitable for this type of event - everyone was probably wearing hoop-dresses and golden suits. Stuff like that are in fairytales, right? Emma wasn't sure, so she just slipped on a simple black dress she felt comfortable in. It wasn't too flashy, wouldn't draw anymore attention than needed.

Neal changed, too, though he didn't seem to shocked by this whole party thing. "You knew about this, didn't you?" Emma asked as he helped zip up her dress. She made it a point to watch him carefully through the mirror, to ensure that he wasn't lying.

He didn't answer.

"Thanks for the heads up, Neal," Emma said sarcastically, running a brush through her long, blonde hair. "Can you honestly say you're excited for a _ball?"_

"No, I'm not thrilled," he replied, opening the door and leading her out. "But I figured it wouldn't be that bad. Your mom really wanted to do it; she asked me last week if I thought it was a good idea."

"And you told her _yes?" _

"Come on, Emma. Just let her have this, okay? She's missed a lot of your life; I'm sure she's just trying to makeup for that."

"I guess," she sighed. Mary Margaret was just trying to do what she thought a mother would do - should do - in this situation. And that was throw a "Welcome Home" Party. Or in the Enchanted Forest, _ball. _

"Well, we might as well get this over with," Emma murmured as they approached the large, golden doors leading to the ballroom. She took in a large breath and gave a shaky nod towards Neal. Emma was not a party person to start with, let alone with the party revolved around her.

Neal held open the doors and Emma was shocked to see such a small, familiar crowd. She had expected a bunch of random villagers, people from other lands and different worlds. But no. It was just . . . well, Storybrooke. Everyone she knew and loved and cared about, save a few people dwindling in the room. She spotted a couple of unrecognizable faces who she assumed were friends of her parents. She wondered who they were. Rapunzel? The Frog Prince?

"Emma!" somebody called out from the crowd of happy, dancing bodies. Her name was repeated throughout the crowd like a ripple, as was Neal's - though most of them addressed him as Baelfire. She gave Neal one quick look before sinking into the crowd of greetings. This was going to be an interesting party.


	4. Chapter 4

"You look lovely, Emma," Belle said, smiling at her.

"You, too," Emma replied, though that was an understatement. Belle was wearing a gorgeous, golden-yellow dress - the one she'd worn in the cartoon version of her story - with her hair curled and pulled back in a beautiful way. It was no wonder her name meant beauty. "Is Gold here?" she asked. She'd seen almost everybody so far: Marco, Archie, Ashley, the miners, Ruby, Granny and even Regina. But no Rumpel.

"No, he . . he didn't feel welcome," she said sadly, lacing her fingers together. Neal and his father had made up when they were in Neverland, but things are still shaky between them. Apparently Rumpel doesn't want to risk ruining that by coming to his party.

Emma didn't really know what to say, so she just kind of nodded. Belle found this funny and laughed, though it was obvious she was just teasing. "I'm going to go find Red," she said after a moment, tossing a loose strand of hair behind her. "You should find your father." She's avoided talking to David for a while, though she knew she was going to have to do it sometime. He was practically chasing after her all night.

Emma reluctantly took her advice and found her father, who was sitting down at a table, sharing a drink with Phillip. The prince greeted Emma with a smile before leaving them alone, probably off to dance with Aurora. "Emma," David said, smiling as she sat down across from him. They'd hugged earlier, briefly, but it was obvious her father had wanted to talk for a little while longer.

"David," she said awkwardly.

"Look, I know that, when you told us you wanted to move back home, you didn't expect to be living . . . here." Emma nodded, avoiding his eyes. That was true. Yes, she wanted to move back to the Enchanted Forest, get back into fighting and magic and excitement. But no, she planned on living in a cottage or something, alone with her family. Not in a giant palace the whole village revolved around. But there was no way she could refuse Mary Margaret's kind offer; it would've broken her heart. "Snow really wants it, though. I know that it seems like we've accepted it - the fact that we missed your whole childhood - but we haven't. Snow . . . she's having a really hard time with it. She wants to be there for you, that's all."

"I know," Emma sighed. She knew Mary Margaret had good intentions, there was no denying that. But that didn't mean Emma had to like them, let alone agree with them. "And I appreciate it, I do. It's just . . she has to realize that I'm an adult. And I know it's been a year, but I still can't really fathom that you guys are my parents. It's still weird."

David nodded in agreement. It was weird, mainly due to their lack of age difference. And the fact that Emma's had 28 years to herself before finding them. "Well maybe, now that you're here, it will be easier to adjust. You could start acting like . . like we're a family."

Emma gave him a suspicious look. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," he lied, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Like maybe by calling us our real names . . ." No. That wouldn't work. Emma still had a hard time finding the names "Snow White" and "Charming" serious. There was no way she could just start saying them. "Or Mom and Da-"

"No- David, I'm sorry. I just . . I can't yet, okay? I'm sorry," she said, standing up. "It's a big enough step to move in with you. Give me time to adjust to that, then maybe I'll be ready for more." David looked a little hurt, but he nodded in understanding.

"Okay," he smiled. "Thanks for talking, Emma. It's nice to have you home."

"Yeah," she said awkwardly before heading off, back into the crowd of fairytale characters.


	5. Chapter 5

"Neal," Emma said, finding him in the crowd of storybook characters. He turned away from the man he was speaking with, whom Emma did not know, and smiled at her.

"Hey, babe," he said to her, watching the other guy walk away. He wrapped his arms around her and she did the same so that they were in perfect dance-frame, just like all the other couples swaying to the music. Emma wasn't much of a dancer, but neither was Neal. The two just stepped awkwardly from side to side, talking to each other. "You talk to David?"

"Yeah," Emma sighed. "It was . . nice. He gets it more than Mary Margaret does; the boundaries and all." Emma watched over his shoulder as Philip twirled Aurora around in a circle, just like in the movie. To her right, Ruby was dancing with Dr. Whale, who was surprisingly invited to this event. She laughed, leaning her head back, as he spun her around. Her scarlet, red dress whirled around her. "I take it you've never been to a ball?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at Neal.

Neal pressed his lips together and let out a small smile. "No," he said. "I wasn't exactly a part of the upperclass when I lived here."

Emma knew that Neal had lived in a poor village with Rumpelstiltskin and his mother, Mila. She knew how troubled their family was, but for some reason it always slipped her mind. She always associated fairytale characters with balls and dresses and happily ever afters. Not Dark Ones and struggling families. It just occurred to her that she wasn't the only one having to adjust to this lifestyle - Neal was too.

Neal must've noticed Emma's internal epiphany. He gave her a sympathetic look. "Hey, it's okay. I never needed fancy castles or grand parties. That's not what mattered to me."

Emma looked away, feeling ashamed. She have _realized _this earlier. How stupid of her. "I know, Neal. I just . . I never even considered that you've never lived _here _before. I just assumed I'd be the only one stepping into a new world . . but you are too. This is a completely different kind of life. I mean, I'm . . . I'm _royalty_! _You're _royalty, Neal. Before I thought it was a huge change for me, but it's for both of us."

Neal just smiled and pulled away slightly. Emma got worried that he was offended, only to realize that he had stepped back so that he could twirl her around, acting like one of the princes surrounding the ballroom. Emma humored him by turning under his arm and then falling back into their simple step. "It is a big change for me, but I've also known about it for a long time. My dad . . he gave me the opportunity to live like this if I wanted to. He could've built me a castle, thrown parties, all that. It's not like I've never been exposed to this." He surprisingly took lead in their dance, switching the steps up slightly. Emma stumbled over her own feet but eventually caught on. "But you've just begun to experience it all. Don't be so hard on yourself, Em. I'm happy here as long as you are."

"I am happy here, Neal. It's a fresh start, a new shot at a happy life," she smiled, leaning her head against his chest. She let him lead them in their dance - though it was obvious Neal was just making things up. Maybe picking the steps up from the people surrounding him. But Emma didn't mind. He was trying to be her perfect prince, contrary to his past as a peasant.

And Emma loved him for that.

They danced the night away, in made-up steps and failed twirls. Emma laughed as Neal tried to regain his footing, all while mingling with old friends and new ones. Though Emma's arrival in the Enchanted Forest had seemed a bit rough, she could actually start to picture herself here. Maybe she did have a bit of princess inside her; she just hadn't discovered it till now.


	6. Chapter 6

"MOM! MOM! WAKE UP!" Henry yelled, banging on his parents' bedroom door. Emma groaned and rolled over, blinking at the surprisingly bright sunlight. She wasn't use to having a large, fairytale skylight in her bedroom. She sat up and scrambled to the door, all while Neal moaned and rolled around in bed. Henry kept knocking.

"What's wrong, Henry?" Emma asked, wiping the sleep out of her eyes as she pulled the door open. He was dressed in odd clothes - definitely not from his suitcase. They were very . . . well, prince-like. He looked like a character in his book. Emma wondered if Mary Margaret gave them to him.

"We're going on a tour of the village! Come on, get dressed!" he said, storming into their room. Emma rolled her eyes and laughed, placing her hands gently on his shoulders.

"Calm down," Emma said, kneeling down so that she was eye level with him. "Why are we going on a tour? And with who? Neal already knows this place and I was here once before. Why don't you go on without us, kid?" She watched as his face sunk, his eyes dropping down to the floor.

"But . . . a lot of stuff has changed. Everything's back to normal now. And Snow wants to show us all these different places! It will be _fun. _You have to come, Mom!" Henry begged. It was obvious he didn't want to let this go. Emma looked over to Neal, who was finally coming to his senses, pushing himself up on his elbows.

"Fine," Emma sighed. Henry's face lifted. "But just for a little bit, okay?"

"Awesome!" Henry smiled. "Meet us downstairs in five minutes." He raced out of the room, leaving the door open behind him. Emma shut it and head over to the bed, sitting down in front of Neal. "Hey, babe," he said as his eyes fluttered, finally settling on her face. He kissed her quickly before sitting up completely. "Where did he say we're going?"

"Mary Margaret wants to show us around, I guess. I don't know. But Henry wants us to come . . ."

"And I'm sure your mom does, too, Em."

"Yeah," she admitted. Maybe that's why Henry was so adamant on Emma coming along. Mary Margaret probably put him up to it - anything to get closer to her daughter. She stood up and shuffled over to the closet. She tossed Neal a clean pair of pants and a t-shirt. Emma watched as he slipped into them, admiring his toned figure. She threw on jeans and a black tank top, then pulled her favorite leather jacket over her shoulders. Not very fairytale, but it made Emma feel more comfortable in this situation. "Let's just get this over with," she said, shoving open the door and heading downstairs.

* * *

Half an hour later, Emma was riding a horse - yes, a _horse - _through the Enchanted Forest with Neal, Henry, and Mary Margaret. Neal was chatting away with his son, sharing stories of his own adventures here, leaving Emma riding quietly beside her mother. It was beyond awkward.

"We're almost there, Emma. The village is just over there," Mary Margaret smiled, pointing to what looked like a small hut. She was dressed in a white, hunting jacket, the back of it trailing down to her feet, brown pants, and a pair of tall boots. Emma wondered if this is what she always wore. It was hard to picture Mary Margaret in anything but a pastel sweater and a collared shirt. This was a major change. "Did you have fun last night at the party? I know it's not really your thing but I thought it might be nice to celebrate."

"It was great," Emma said, honestly. She did have a wonderful time - catching up with her friends from Storybrooke, meeting new ones, and dancing with Neal. "Thanks for planning that . . it was nice."

Mary Margaret's face lit up slightly at the words, though she quickly covered her joy as to not embarrass Emma. "I'm glad you liked it." They rode for a few more minutes silently, though Emma could pick out words from Neal and Henry's conversation behind her. Something about swordfighting and magic. Emma smiled to herself at their growing bond.

Soon enough, they reached a small village, cottages and huts scattered about. People were milling around, carrying baskets of food and piles of wood. A fire in the center of the houses warmed the cool, morning air. Emma wondered how she'd adjust to this change in lifestyle. Everything was so much simpler in Fairytale Land. "Where exactly are we?" Emma asked, looking around curiously. She'd already seen the main part of town that surrounded the castle - it was where most people in the kingdom lived.

"This," Mary Margaret grinned, hopping off her horse. The others followed suit, glancing around eagerly. Neal even looked happy to see this place. Maybe it reminded him of his own village. "Is where I first fled when Regina was after me."

Emma raised an eyebrow. That wasn't the good of an answer. "And . . . ?"

Mary Margaret laughed, then seemed to notice somebody coming up from the opposite direction. "And . . ." Emma turned around to see a figure in red gliding easily through the villagers, smiling and greeting them. "It happens to be where I first met Red."


	7. Chapter 7

**Somebody asked me about switching between fairytale and Storybrooke names. The answer is that Emma refers to them all by their Storybrooke names, whereas the others have adjusted to fairytale names, if that makes sense. **

* * *

"Snow!" Ruby called, her face lighting up as she caught sight of the group huddled at the edge of the village. She stopped her conversation with the villagers to rush over to them. She took Mary Margaret into a warm, tender hug. "A little far from home, aren't you? What are you doing here?" she asked confusedly, pulling apart from her friend.

"I was just showing them around the forest. I thought this was a good place to start, seeing as it was my home for quite some time," Mary Margaret answered, gesturing to the village. She regarded it with familiarity and recognition, maybe even a bit of nostalgia. Emma wondered what the story behind her living here was. She knew that her mother and Ruby had been friends for a long time, but she didn't know how they were related. Maybe she would find that out today.

"That's definitely true," Ruby laughed at that, agreeing. She was dressed in a white blouse and a long, dark red patterned skirt. A brownish corset was wrapped around her waist, and her long, red cloak was draped across her shoulders, though the hood was pulled down. Emma knew that Ruby had learned to control the wolf inside of her and wondered why she still wore it. Maybe she was just attached to it - like Emma was with her own leather jacket. "Granny just made breakfast. Are you hungry at all?"

"Oh, yeah!" Henry said, obviously eager for some of Granny's famous food. Ruby smiled at him before leading them through the village, towards what she assumed was her house. As they passed, the villagers tried to bow at Mary Margaret and even Emma. But, with a gentle smile, the queen told them it was unnecessary. The people obviously adored her. Emma felt a bit of pride knowing that her mother was such a kind, gentle queen. Maybe she could be like that one day - when _she _would be ruling with Neal. Hopefully that day wouldn't come anytime soon.

Even though everybody here had once lived in Storybrooke, Emma hadn't the slightest idea who any of them were. A few faces looked familiar - probably from the streets or the diner - but the majority were new. "How do they, uh, know who I am?" Emma whispered to Ruby once they got out of the center of the town. People were still scattered about, but not so much that they were crowding them.

Ruby laughed and shook her head at Emma. "Everybody in the kingdom knows who you are, Emma. I mean, you're not only the Savior to them; you're the Princess."

"You're joking, right?" Emma said, raising her eyebrow at the girl.

She just shook her head. "Emma, these people - they adore you. _Worship_ you. I know it probably seems like a weird concept to you, but your parents are idolized by everyone here. Snow and Charming - they saved this kingdom from Regina's reign. They sacrificed everything for the better of their people. It's no surprise that they would love their daughter as well."

Emma rolled her eyes at that but kept walking along. There was no way these people already admired Emma, even if she was the princess. They didn't even know her.

Just minutes later, they reached a small cottage, slightly isolated from the others. Ruby pushed open the door and the smell of fresh bread rushed past Emma's face. "Granny? Snow, Emma, Neal and Henry are here," she called, wondering down a hall to where the kitchen must be.

"This is awesome!" Henry said, admiring a wall on the far left. Hunting rifles were mounted on it, as well as various wolf-like artifacts. Some sort of medallion with a paw print on it hung on the right. Various symbols covered the wall, as well as paintings of what must be Ruby's family. There were even a few sketches of wolves, howling classically at the moon. The pictures fascinated Henry, which made Emma smile.

"Huh," Mary Margaret said, looking at the wall. "This is new."

"What do you mean?" Neal asked, checking it out as well.

"Granny never had any of this stuff out when I was here. Probably because Red didn't know about her heritage yet," she said, reaching out and touching one of the paintings, delicately. "This must be Peter." Emma wandered over to where Snow was looking. Portrayed in the painting was a young boy, maybe in his early twenties, looking off to the side. He was quite handsome, with short, dark hair and mocha-brown eyes.

"Who?" she asked her mother.

Mary Margaret sucked in a long breath. She then tilted her head towards the kitchen, checking that Ruby was still in there. "Peter was Red's . . . boyfriend, you could say."

"Was?" Neal asked, joining the conversation.

Mary Margaret pinched the bridge of her nose. "When Wolf's Time came around, Red and Peter tried to find the wolf. They thought . . they thought it was Peter. There were tracks leading away from Red's window, where he'd come every night. They assumed it was him for sure." She took a long, deep breath before wiping her eyes. Emma stared at her in horror - she could predict what was coming. "She tied him up in chains one night. Peter agreed to it - wanted her to do it and then go, get far away from him to be safe. But Red wanted to stay with him, wouldn't leave him in case the hunters came.

"But when Red changed . . . Peter was still tied up. He couldn't defend himself, couldn't escape," Mary Margaret mumbled. Her voice was shaky and Emma realized that she must have been there, when they found her. And when they found _him, _or what remained of him. Neal's eyes were wide in shock, but he placed a hand gingerly around Emma to comfort her. She took a shaky breath just as Ruby reentered the room.

"Breakfast is ready!" she smiled happily, unaware of the discussion they had just had. Mary Margaret put on a fake smile and followed her into the kitchen, as did Henry. Neal gave Emma a concerned look and she just shook her head. How did she not know about this - about how horrible Ruby must feel about herself?

With a sigh of sorrow, the two headed into the kitchen for one of Granny's classic meals.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. It's been a crazy few weeks.**

* * *

"Come on, just one more place!" Mary Margaret pleaded. Henry put on his puppy-dog face, and even Neal pretended to beg. They all wanted Mary Margaret to continue the tour, but Emma was exhausted. They'd been everywhere possible - the dwarves' cottage, Lake Nostos, Firefly Hill, Troll Bridge, the Werewolves' Den and various other parts of the forest. Emma was anxious to get back to the palace, to take a shower, to _sleep. _There was no way she was going to another one of Snow's "famous locations."

"We've been out for hours-"

"Please, mom!" Henry said, grabbing her hand and squeezing gently. Emma shifted her gaze to Neal who shrugged, who somehow still has some energy. Emma rolled her eyes. She couldn't let Henry down.

"Where is it now? Down the rabbit hole?" she asked Mary Margaret sarcastically.

"It's a surprise," she said before snapping her reigns, shocking her horse into action. She took off at full speed, galloping in a curvy path. Emma shook her head and followed after both Henry and Neal had passed. As much as Emma wanted to love this, it was hard to adjust to.

* * *

Emma hopped off her spotted horse and took a long deep breath. Neal tied their horses to one of the trees, though Mary Margaret said they wouldn't wander. "It's just over here," she said, pointing left. They followed her into an open field surrounded by colorful trees. Emma could recall this scene from Henry's book - though she couldn't remember what it was.

"What is this place?" Neal asked, searching the horizon for an answer. In the distance, Emma could spot a nice-sized house, though it looked abandoned. Off to the right were the stables, an old wooden building that matched the one outside the castle.

Henry's eyes suddenly lit up and he turned excitedly towards Mary Margaret. "This is where my mom grew up, isn't it?" he asked. She nodded, smiling somewhat sadly. At first, Emma was confused. _She _obviously hadn't grown up here. She'd been raised in ratty old foster homes, not a gorgeous house with endless, green fields.

And then it clicked. _Regina _had lived here. Cora, too. Along with her father, Henry, and the Daniel she knows so little about.

"Why are we here, Mary Margaret?" Emma asked, almost sourly. She expected Mary Margaret's last place of the day to be somewhere a little bit more meaningful to her; not to _Regina._

"I wanted to show you where it all started," she said, as if it was obvious. She took a seat on the soft grass, smoothing her skirts and brushing her hair back. "When I was about your age, Henry, I was riding through the countryside with my father and his guard. My horse went . . . well, berserk. Before I knew it, I was speeding through this field, unable to gain control. That was until Regina saved me. She rode up beside me and scooped me off of my horse and onto hers." Mary Margaret smiled, looking down at the hilly fields with a bit of nostalgia. "She saved my life."

Neal looked a bit uncomfortable, Henry was a bit desolate, and Emma was still confused. "I know the story, Mary Margaret. It was in the stupid book," she laughs. "But why . . "

"Because, Emma," Mary Margaret starts, smiling sadly at her daughter. "It's why I am who I am today. _She _is why. Not only did she save my life, but she gave me the gift of seeing good in people. She opened my mind up to the notion that people were truly good inside, no matter what evils they have committed. Regina . . there was a time when she was so dark it was horrifying. But every time I faced her, every time I had the chance to kill her . . . I remembered this moment. I remembered how kind she was, how caring. Regina taught me that everyone has a heart, and that I should trust that mine will tell me what to do."

Emma looked at her a bit shocked, having not expected that at all. I mean, _at all. _She knew her mother to be sentimental, but never would she have guessed she could tear up talking about Regina.

Henry stood up and started wandering off in the field, getting some space. When they went back to the Enchanted Forest, Regina came along. But she vowed to stay away from everyone else, separate herself from their lives. They were all on good times with her at the time, but Regina was worried that she would become the evil queen again, and wouldn't let that happen. So she isolated herself in another kingdom, away from everyone she knew. Even Henry.

Neal got up to keep an eye on him, giving the two women some space. Emma looked at him in appreciation. "I know that it may seem like I don't appreciate you, Mary Margaret, but I do," Emma said, barely a whisper. She couldn't hide the fact she was nervous. She never talked like this. "I don't know if I would have made it this far - if I even would have broken the curse - had it not been for you. You have so much hope, so much faith in me. You trust my decisions . . and I thank you for that. And if that's because Regina saved you that day, then I guess I should thank her, too." Mary Margaret smiled slightly, though Emma felt too awkward to even grin. "I don't know. This is . . . stupid. I just . . I wanted to say thank you. For everything. For being here, for giving me hope. I love you for that."

Mary Margaret was tearing up now, and she couldn't stop herself from pulling Emma into a tight hug. She pressed her chin against her shoulder and Emma squeezed her back. "Oh, Emma," she murmured, tears dripping down her cheeks. It was amazing how good it felt to be held, Emma thought. _By her mother. _"I love you, Emma."

She took a deep breath and decided to just say it. What the hell, right? "I love you, Mom."

Mary Margaret sucked in a breath and Emma knew that she'd done the right thing. She was no longer Mary Margaret. She was _mom_.


End file.
